Callsign: VK1FF
Operator: Jim Muller (Home Call: WB2FFY)
Section: Single Operator, 40 Meters (unassisted)
Operating QTH: Fadden, Australia Capital Territory, Australia
Number of Valid Contacts: 579
QSO Points Claimed: 1737
Multipliers: 55
Hours of operation: 11.5 (approx 08-14z each day)
Total Claimed Score: 95,535
Station:
- Antenna: Dipole @40'
- Txcvr: Kenwood TS-520 (with 250hz filter)
- Power: 100 Watts
- Key: Homebrew Accu Keyer with bencher paddles & computer
- Logging Pgm: N6TR version 4.05
Comments:
- 40 meters seemed very good both days. Signals were particularly loud
around 0800z from the east coast....even some Europeans (LP) were
REALLY strong around that time.
- thoroughly enjoyed the contest this year. Improved my QSO total by
28% and my total score by nearly 44% over previous efforts.
- worked nearly all the continental US states on the first day and
got the remaining three states (NE, NV, LA) on the second day.
- Most of my contacts were with east coast states
1. CAL 63 10. MD 18
2. NY 45 11. CONN 18
3. MASS 43 12. MICH 18
4. PENN 36 13. VA 14
5. TEX 31 14. FLA 14
6. NJ 29 15. ARIZ 14
7. WASH 26 16. NH 13 (this is a surprise to me)
8. ILL 25 17. WISC 12
9. OHIO 22 18. ORE 10
less than 8 contacts were made with each of the remaining states
- I had two factors working against me from the very start of the contest.
1. I had an operation on my right hand for carpal tunnel syndrome
5 days before the contest. My hand is still in a cast and
unuseable at the moment. This affected two things. First I
normally send right handed - but the operation of course forced me to
send (using my keyer paddles) left handed which I don't do very well.
A couple QSOs with N6BV, W7OE, and N6ZZ were particularly dreadful
as they made comments which could not be answered with the
preprogrammed "function keys". I reached for my paddles and attempted
to answer.....the mind was willing but the fingers certainly
were not. The second "problem" is that I'm a touch typer
and "normally" don't have to look at the keyboard when I'm typing.
But without one hand that's all out the window. So I struggled
with "hunt and peck" throughout the contest. I know I must
have confused a few people because of the time it took me to enter
and then acknowledge their report (seconds hang like hours in
a situation like this) - sorry about that!
2. The other problem was a moderate case of the flu for which no amount
of medicine seemed to help.
- my best rate was around 144 Q/hr for about 30 mins (not to bad for
a left handed "hunt and peck"). Overall I averaged about 48 QSOs/hr
for the entire contest which isn't too bad for 100W and a dipole.
- I'm returning to the US this year so this is last ARRL DX CW contest
from Australia. I've enjoyed the contest from over here and appreciate
all the QSOs.
73, Jim VK1FF/WB2FFY
Internet Email: VK1FF@contesting.com
WB2FFY@qsl.net
Amateur Radio Packet: VK1FF@VK1KCM.ACT.AUS.OC
http://www.qsl.net/wb2ffy
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